


when i’m close to you (we blend into my favourite colour)

by Behindthecities



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Accidental Relationship, Evakteket Challenge, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, in which i try my hands at writing a mature scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-27 04:17:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12073365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Behindthecities/pseuds/Behindthecities
Summary: In which Isak and Even are boy-friends with a hyphen in the middle.//or the the 5 times Isak forgets that he’s not dating Even and the 1 time he does something about it.





	when i’m close to you (we blend into my favourite colour)

**Author's Note:**

> i was struggling so much with writing for the past couple of days, i needed to write something light and fluff, like there's no angst in this lol i've been reading a lot of poetry so i tried my hands on writing _poetically_ // this is for the evakteket challenge! 
> 
> @ Elle, [piccadilly](http://archiveofourown.org/users/piccadilly/pseuds/piccadilly), who held my hand through this and gave me the strength to write this thing. thank you so much for supporting me and looking over this, i admire your writing so much, thank you <3 
> 
> @ [vesperthine](http://archiveofourown.org/users/vesperthine/pseuds/vesperthine), thank you for teaching me the ways that you so masterfully write and how to "cut to the feelings" - i hope achieved it, even just a little bit. your support means the world, love <3 
> 
> @ Taha, [toboldlyfly](http://archiveofourown.org/users/toboldlyfly/pseuds/toboldlyfly), my bro, who encourages me so much in any of my writing endeavours and always lifts my spirits, thank you for supporting this and looking over it <3 
> 
> the biggest thank you to [kit](http://archiveofourown.org/users/kittpurrson/pseuds/kittpurrson) and [immy](http://http://archiveofourown.org/users/imminentinertia) for organizing this challenge, please go check out their wonderful fic rec blog, [evakteket](https://evakteket.tumblr.com/), congrats on 6 amazing months lovelies <3
> 
> //title from favourite color by carly rae jepson

Isak and Even are  _ friends _ . 

In fact, it’s getting to the stage where Even can be considered a serious contender for the ‘best friend’ position . Jonas doesn’t have to know. Anyway, it’s not like Even would be replacing Jonas in any way; Isak has something with Even that he doesn’t have with anyone else. But the most important thing is that they’re  _ friends. _

**1.**

Needless to say, Isak is having a bad day.

Arriving ten minutes late for his organic chemistry lab, Isak misses the quiz right at the beginning so there’s ten percent gone from his mark. The guy beside him, Erik or something, carelessly bumps into him, spilling the solution inside the Erlenmeyer flask that Isak was preparing—inevitably, the TA is unimpressed even though it wasn’t  _ his  _ fault.

On his way to his animal physiology class, Isak realizes he’s forgotten his laptop  _ and  _ his notebooks because he was too busy rushing that morning. The professor, of course, picks Isak to answer a very complex question that he  _ should _ know, had he done the reading; he stutters and tries to come up with something intelligent—and fails miserably.

By the end of the day, Isak’s had it—this day can go  _ fuck  _ itself _.  _ He’s angry and frustrated and he just wants everything to be over already—so naturally, he calls Even. 

“Hey, monkey,” Even says, answering on the second ring.

Isak settles into his bed and lies down on his stomach. “Hey, monkey,” he says, pushing his face into his pillow.

It’s silent for a few minutes. Isak closes his eyes and focuses on Even’s breathing on the other of the phone line.

“Something wrong?” Even asks, quietly.

“Bad day.”

“I’m coming over.”

“Okay.”

Even doesn’t hang up for the entire twenty minutes that it takes for him to get to Isak’s front door. Isak finds himself not wanting hang up either; he’s just counting the seconds until he hears three knocks.

Even envelops him in a hug as soon as Isak opens the door to let him in.

“Hey, monkey.”

Isak buries his head in the crook of Even’s neck, feeling the tightness of his muscles loosen and the knot inside his stomach unfasten. “Hey, monkey.”

They walk back to Isak’s room. They’re still hugging each other, and it’s a bit ridiculous, because Even almost trips three times and Isak bumps his head against a wall twice. Still, they cling to each other, not wanting to let go.

Even pulls Isak against his chest, once they get to Isak’s bed, aligning and locking into each other like puzzle pieces.

Isak falls asleep next to Even, comforted by the steady thrum of Even’s heartbeat.

**2.**

“Fuck, I already have an essay coming up and classes literally _ just  _ started,” Jonas laments, resting his forehead against the palm of his hands. 

Isak sighs, remembering his own midterm coming up in a few weeks. “I’m alreay so behind on my courses.”

“Can we  _ not _ talk about school right now? We’re here to  _ chill, _ ” Mahdi chimes in, “I don’t want to be thinking about that hellhole.”

“Easy for you, you’re on co-op bro,” Magnus points out.

Mahdi rolls his eyes, “What do you think I do? Fuck around and sleep? It’s my workplace, so I still have to  _ work _ .”

The boys get into a heated debate about which is worse: dealing with a job or having to go to school—but Isak keeps eyeing the time on his phone and loses track of the conversation happening around him.

Even texted him earlier that he’s going to be joining in after he finishes his shift at work—and Isak almost feels restless waiting for him to get here.

A few minutes later, a waitress comes by, looking bored and irritated, “Are you boys ready to order?” She asks.

“When’s Even getting here? Should we wait for him?” Magnus asks, looking expectedly at Isak.

Isak chews his bottom lip and he’s about to answer when his phone vibrates inside his pocket—it’s a text from Even.

Even:  _ hey monkey, im running late, be there in 5 _

_          also starving so order for me, you know what i want  _

Isak tries to hide his smile and looks up from his phone, “He’s running late, but we can order.” He quickly scans the menu, “Can I get the spicy thai basil noodles and the ginger glazed salmon, please?”

Jonas, Mahdi, and Magnus exchange looks, smiling at each other knowingly, before they order something for themselves. Isak frowns, trying to decipher exactly  _ what _ they’re trying to communicate to each other, but he gives up when he feels someone grip at his shoulder.

“Even!” Everyone cheers. Even chuckles, giving one armed hugs to all of the guys before sitting beside Isak at the table. Even smiles at Isak, bright like the summer sun, and Isak ducks his head, trying to ignore the thrill that travels up his spine.

When the food arrives, Isak passes the salmon to Even before forking through his noodles. He slides over the zucchini to Even’s plate while Even transfers the grilled pineapples into Isak’s plate.

“I don’t understand why I have to take calculus, like, I’m a media studies student?” Even states exasperatedly.

Isak reaches over and breaks off the salmon skin from Even’s plate. “I had to take that Greek myth class and I nearly failed, so,” Isak says a matter of factly as Even takes a sip out of Isak’s drink.

It’s not until he’s halfway done his noodles that Isak realizes how quiet it’s gotten around the table. He looks up at Jonas, Magnus, and Mahdi giving Even and Isak this  _ look _ —like they know something that Even and Isak don’t.

“What?” Isak asks, piercing the last piece of zucchini with his fork and holding it up to Even's mouth, who eats it happily.

Magnus huffs out a laugh, “Nothing.”

Isak shrugs. This time, Even is the one feeding him a spoonful of his jasmine rice.

**3.**

The thing is, Isak loves studying. He get’s lost in between the pages of his textbook and for several moments, the world around of him stops spinning so fast. Isak forgets everything around him, his worries for the day, things he wants to forget from his past, the unpredictability of the future. Studying is  _ his _ time and his time alone—unless it’s with Even. 

They’re on Even’s bed. Isak has his back leaning against the headboard with Even’s head resting across his thighs—Isak has is animal physiology midterm in two days and Even is helping him go through his index cards.

“Describe the anticipatory stress response,” Even asks, looking up to Isak’s face, placing the index card answer-side down against his chest.

Isak cards his hands through Even’s hair, running his fingers through the oily, flat strands. It should be gross because he’s pretty sure Even hasn’t washed his hair in two days, but he doesn’t mind it. “It’s a behavioural response to stress,” Isak says carefully, wracking his brain to dig up everything he’s studied.

Even pokes Isak’s stomach, “Okay, and?”

Isak clears his throat, “It’s a behavioural response that humans demonstrate to love, stress, pleasure, and relaxation. ASR is maintained as a threat if a stimulus is perceived as a threat which leads to stress. ASR is terminated under circumstances that are not threatening which leads to relaxation, pleasure, love.”

Even peaks at the index card before smiling, “Okay good.” He reaches up and pinches Isak’s cheek. Isak, begrudgingly, slaps his hand away. “Although, I wouldn’t say that love can’t be stressful.”

Isak nods in agreement, “The paper actually states that love, especially in the beginning can be quite stressful, which can result into symptoms that include sweating, heart beat acceleration, increased bowel peristalsis—”

“Jesus,” Even interrupts. “But I think all of that is worth it. Because love can lead to good feelings too.”

Isak meets the blue of Even’s irises that resemble a collage of photographs—of the sea, of the sky, of faraway galaxies —and his heart picks up, like it’s gently gliding over clouds and soaring past the horizon. Right here, right now, with Even, feels good. Isak wonders if these good feelings count.

**4.**

Isak doesn’t realize just how intertwined his life is with Even’s until one day he’s doing laundry and folding a bunch of Even’s shirts and hoodies. He has to leave for his class soon, so without really thinking about it, he shucks on one of Even’s band tees and slides out the door. 

Sana greets him with a cup of coffee before their physics lab—a little agreement they’ve set up to get each other their prefered morning drink if one of them arrive earlier than the other. Isak sighs as he takes a sip. “Bless you. You’re the best.”

Sana nods and tilts her head to the side thoughtfully, “I didn’t know you were into The 1975. Aren’t they a little too hipster for your rap-loving ass?”

“Oh, this is Even’s,” Isak admits casually.

“Since when are you two sharing clothes?”

“We’re friends Sana. Friends share clothes.”

Sana narrows her eyes, “Friends.”

Isak shrugs, “Yeah,” and effectively ends the conversation.  

It’s not out of the ordinary for Isak and Even to be sharing what they wear. They just never bother to bring a change of clothes when they’re over at each other’s place. Sometimes Isak is too drunk to make it back home. Sometimes Even comes back with paint stains all of over his jeans and he needs to run to class looking more presentable. (Most times, and Isak will never admit it out loud, he doesn’t have an excuse—he just wants to have a piece of Even with him to sooth the aches that comes from missing him all the time).

**5.**

Even is a very tactile person. He’s always touching and gripping and hugging and caressing—and it’s Isak’s favourite thing. 

They’ll be studying in the library, sitting across from each other and Isak will feel the heel of Even’s foot hook onto Isak’s, linking together like metal chains. They’ll be at a party and Even will stick close to Isak’s side, half on his lap, a hand always resting on his thigh. They’ll be sleeping on Even’s bed and Isak will awake up to Even tightening his hold around his waist, like they can never close enough.

Even’s touch anchor’s Isak, when the energy of the universe overwhelms Isak and he feels like he’s slipping away. Even’s touch feels like a spark, when life is dragging on and Isak sees everything in gray scale. Even’s touch is like a paint brush, stroking colour onto Isak’s life in reds, oranges, and yellows.

Isak is so used to having Even  _ nearby _ , at hand’s length, that when Even goes home for reading break Isak feels hollow for 5 days straight.

He can’t sleep, he can’t think, he can’t do  _ anything _ —and he feels pathetic because Even’s his  _ friend _ . Isak is sure friends are not supposed to missing the other  _ like this _ —like they’re  _ boyfriends _ , or something.

They are boys, Isak thinks. Who are friends. So technically they are are boy-friends. With a little hyphen in the middle. 

He goes to sleep, cursing that little hyphen.

**(+1)**

Isak and Even are _ friends _ . But by the end of the week Isak doesn’t want to  _ just  _ be friends anymore.

There’s something tight and hot coiling inside Isak body—it’s getting worse each second he’s waiting for Even at the bus stop. Isak got a text a few minutes ago with lots of exclamation points and heart emojis, explaining that Even will be arriving soon—but  _ fuck this bus, _ he wants it to be sooner.

When Even finally,  _ finally, _ walks down the steps and spots Isak, with his bright, bright, smile and cerulean blue eyes, Isak’s heart aches—he’s so utterly  _ in love. _

They’re mostly silent on their way back to Even’s place—Isak doesn’t know what to say and Even’s tired from the long journey back.

“I really missed you,” Even says quietly and leans his head against Isak’s shoulder. 

Isak can’t help but let out a sigh of relief. Even’s touch does that to him—takes away all his restlessness and uneasiness. “I missed you too.”

“You know, I was thinking about that article—about the anticipatory stress response.”

“Okay.”

“How love can be really stressful,” Even says carefully. “I’ve been stressed the whole week.”

Isak’s breath hitches, the veins and arteries in his heart feel like they are getting tangled up. “Yeah?”

Even shifts, facing Isak, only inches away from his face. “Yeah.”

Isak isn’t sure who closes the the gap, but he feels the warm pressure of Even’s lips on his—and he sees fireworks glittering against the dark sky.

Even pulls back, resting his forehead against Isak’s. “I’ve been wanting to do that all week.”

“Me too,” Isak whispers as he reaches out and tangles his fingers into Even’s as they get off the bus. It takes them twice as long to get to Even’s room, because they keep stopping to kiss—either Isak will push Even into a wall or Even will.

They manage to get past Even’s door before Even cages Isak in and slips his tongue into his mouth—and it’s absolutely mesmerizing. Isak’s back arches in anticipation as he pulls Even by his shirt to get closer and closer.

At one point, Even slides his leg into between Isak’s and grinds down. Isak gasps into Even’s mouth, trying to hike up his leg to Even’s hips. Even trails his hand down Isak’s thigh before hooking both hands under his thighs and pulling him up. Isak crosses his legs and tightens his grip onto Even’s leg as he walks them back to the bed.

Isak falls back and Even is on top of him, helping him take off his shirt, then his pants, and gently kissing down his chest.

“Come here,” Isak says breathlessly, pulling Even’s face to lick into his mouth. He wants to admire Even, read him like a book, study every page and memorize every word—keep it on a shelf inside his heart.

Even moves inside of Isak like ocean waves, a steady and gentle ebb and flow. Isak wants Even to unravel him, watch him come apart at his seams, shape him anew.

It’s early morning when Isak stirs awake, his face resting against Even’s chest. He looks over at the planes of Even’s shoulders, the freckles scattered across his pale skin and Isak wants to map them like constellations in the night sky. He slides on top of Even and kisses the little dip near his collarbones.

“Hey monkey,” Even whispers, grinning at Isak.

Isak smiles and bites Even’s neck, near the two little red spots—remnants of last night. “Hey monkey.”

“Sleep well?”

“I always sleep well with you.”

Even leans forehead and kisses Isak chastely.

“I’ve been thinking,” Isak says.

Even laughs, “Oh boy.”

“Shut up.”

Even smirks, “Make me,” and squeezes Isak’s bare ass.

Isak bites his lower lip before leaning down and kissing Even, hot and slow. “So I’ve been thinking that there’s this hyphen between boy-friends, like they’re two separate things.”

Even nudges Isak’s nose playfully, “Oh yeah? Let’s make it one word then. Fuck that hyphen.” He holds Isak’s face, and Isak does the same—like they’re holding each other’s worlds right in the palm of their hands.

_ Fuck that hyphen,  _ Isak agrees. 

**Author's Note:**

> //i hope you enjoyed that bit! it took me an hour to write that last scene omg 
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [vanqoh](http://vanqoh.tumblr.com/) if you want to chat! Comments and kuddos are always appreciated <3


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